Alex met his gaze. There was no point in hiding it anymore. "Yes," he admitted. "Sorry I couldn't reveal my identity then. It was for safety reasons. But now that things have settled, there's no point keeping it a secret."
Newt raised his eyebrows in surprise when Alex openly admitted he was the mysterious figure who had appeared at Scamander's home earlier.
"You never cease to amaze me," Newt said, chuckling softly. "Honestly, Tina and I haven't even had a chance to thank you properly yet." He had initially planned to tease the young wizard a bit, trying to coax out his true identity. However, Alex's frank confession left him momentarily at a loss for words.
"It's nothing special," Alex replied modestly. He looked slightly better now; the colour had gradually returned to his previously pale face. "At first, I was targeting those smugglers with the Silver wands, but I couldn't pinpoint their hideout immediately. Ending up at your house was purely an accident."
Alex paused briefly before adding, "Actually, Rolf only got into trouble because of me, so I just wanted to make things right. I left quietly to avoid embarrassing myself further." He smiled a little awkwardly. "By the way, could you please keep my involvement that night a secret? Only the high-ranking officials at the Ministry of Magic know about it now, and we've got special plans for dealing with those Silver wands."
His explanation was thoughtful and sincere. Newt couldn't find any reason to question Alex's honesty. In fact, he found Alex incredibly mature and well-spoken, hardly resembling the ordinary Hogwarts student he was supposed to be.
"Of course," Newt agreed warmly. "After seeing what those Silver wands are capable of, it's wise to keep your identity hidden. Still, you helped us a great deal, so please let us repay you in the future."
"Don't worry about it right now," Alex replied easily. "We should head back to the scene first. There are plenty of magical creatures that could use your expert help." He gave Newt a friendly smile, secretly pleased at establishing a connection with such an extraordinary wizard.
Newt nodded, smiling gently, before his eyes settled curiously on the little bat perched on Alex's shoulder. "By the way, why do you have a vampire with you? Is she your friend?"
Hearing this, Shalltear immediately tensed up. She hadn't expected this older wizard to identify her so quickly. She'd already noticed Alex was no longer a vampire himself, and now, weakened and surrounded by skilled Aurors, her only chance was to stick close to him, hoping to slip away unnoticed later. Dealing with the Ministry was the last thing she wanted.
Alex blinked, suddenly remembering her presence. He reached up casually, grabbed Shalltear by the scruff of her neck, and lifted the struggling little bat to eye level. "Oh, this one? I just picked her up along the way. Speaking of which," he asked, turning to the bat, "what exactly is a vampire doing out here in the forest anyway?"
"My Prince, you can't abandon me like this!" Shalltear wailed dramatically, tears suddenly forming in her eyes. "You're so cruel! Don't you remember the glorious days we spent together?"
Alex's expression shifted to annoyance as he gave the bat an irritated look. He clearly wasn't buying her theatrics. "Cut the act," he warned firmly. "One more word out of you, and I'm handing you straight over to the Ministry."
Realizing she couldn't trick Alex, Shalltear stopped her fake tears immediately and spoke seriously instead. "Fine, I'll tell you everything. But can you promise not to hand me over? I really don't want to get involved with those Ministry people."
"Be honest first," Alex said firmly, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Start with who you are and why you're here."
"I'm from the Toreador clan in New Orleans, America. My name is Shalltear, and I'm 46 years old," she began earnestly. "I was turned into a vampire a long time ago but only woke up from my deep sleep about ten years ago. Until recently, I'd been living quietly with the Toreador clan in New Orleans."
She paused briefly, gauging Alex's reaction before continuing, "A while back, there was trouble between our clan and another group. During that mess, I was captured and ended up sold to those people with the Silver wands. I managed to slip away during all the chaos tonight, and that's when I met you. Everything I said is true, so please... don't abandon me." Shalltear looked up at Alex with pleading eyes, clearly worried about her fate.
Alex shot her a cold glare, causing her to quickly calm herself. "Mr. Scamander, she seems to be telling the truth," Alex remarked, turning to Newt. "Do you think it's risky to keep her around?"
Newt observed Shalltear thoughtfully, a trace of sympathy in his gaze. "It's been decades, but I see the conflict between the Camarilla and the Sabbat hasn't changed much. Shalltear's clan, the Toreador, is part of the Camarilla, and they're typically well-behaved, at least as far as vampires go."
Shalltear's eyes widened in surprise. 'Who exactly was this old wizard? How could he possibly know so much about vampire politics?'
Seeing Alex's puzzled look, Newt clarified, "I've dealt with vampires before. The Toreador clan, in particular, has a reputation for being harmless. They're generally artistic, refined, and peaceful. But the Sabbat, including clans like Lasombra, are often violent and aggressive. From what Shalltear described, there's quite a fight happening over in America."
"Exactly!" Shalltear quickly interjected, seizing the opportunity. "My clan has always been on good terms with the magical authorities. I haven't hurt anyone, and I really don't want to be sent back just to be killed. Can't you please help me?" Her eyes were wide, pleading earnestly.
Alex glanced skeptically at Newt, who was considering the matter carefully. "So...what do you think, Mr. Scamander? Would it be safe to trust her?"
Newt sighed, nodding slowly. "Well, vampires from the Camarilla, like Shalltear here, do have a decent standing within wizarding society. In fact, I even have a vampire friend from that very group myself. They're usually responsible, at least compared to their more feral cousins. But keep in mind, the wizarding community does still hold quite a bit of prejudice against vampires. The International Confederation of Wizards did issue guidelines to protect half-breeds and magical beings from unfair treatment, but unfortunately, those prejudices aren't easy to erase."
Newt paused briefly, explaining further, "The Ministry's official policy is to detain foreign vampires like Shalltear until the Department of International Magical Cooperation contacts the American Magical Congress for further instructions. If she's clean, she'll probably be sent back home eventually. But if there's any record of wrongdoing, she could end up in Azkaban."
Shalltear's eyes widened in panic at Newt's words, but she quickly composed herself when Alex glared at her again.
Alex looked back at her and asked dryly, "So, Shalltear, do you eat meat or vegetables?"
"I'm vegetarian! Completely harmless!" Shalltear replied quickly, eager to reassure them. "I've never hurt anyone since becoming a vampire. Really! If you know my clan, you'll understand, we Toreadors prefer peace. We even get along great with American wizards."